The Carthusian order was founded in 1084 by St. Bruno of Cologne, and is an eremitic and cenobitic order, holding to the principle of withdrawal from the world to a life of silent contemplation and prayer. It is also a small order, comprising today of 25 houses worldwide with just 350 male and 75 female members. This has not rendered them immune to attack and times of religious or social upheaval have seen members of the order called to make the extreme sacrifice for their beliefs.

During the Hussite Revolution in Bohemia in the 15th century Carthusian houses, as with other Catholic institutions, came under attack. In 1421 the charterhouse in Prague was ransacked and its members lost.

In 1572 during the Dutch Revolt the Charterhouses of Delft and Roermond were attacked, resulting in the deaths of Dom Justus van Schoonhoven and others.

During the French Revolution numerous Carthusians were persecuted with other Catholic religious and lay persons. Of these Claude Beguignot and Lazarus Tiersot, who died in prison in 1794, have been beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995.[1]

In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, Carthusians were affected by the wide-spread anti-clericalism; two of these, from the Charterhouse of Montalegre, have so far been recognized.

In 1944, during World War II, twelve Carthusian brothers in Italy, together with more than 60 refuges whom they were sheltering, were massacred by German occupation forces at Farneta.[2]

As a closed order the Carthusians do not, on principle, put forward causes for their members, though causes have been promoted by others on their behalf.